Evil

Do you not know of this of old, since man was placed on earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment? Job 20:4-5

Throughout the entire world people are celebrating triumphs and victories every day. People are excited about what they are accomplishing. Some of these things are individual accomplishments, while others are corporate or even national/world level accomplishments. All of these victories are often seen as good for the world, regardless of what they are in reality. They are focused upon the moment of pleasure.

Zophar asks Job if he did not know that ever since man was placed upon the earth, that those who are wicked will only triumph for short time and the hypocrite will have joy only for a moment.

The world looks for pleasure in the moment with no regard to the future. Every time that the world can get the desired pleasure in a moment, they are happy and feel as if they are triumphing. Most often the victory that the world celebrates is wickedness. They do not know what true love is, but only selfish pleasure.

Very few people see themselves as wicked, however, every person is born into sin and is wicked. From the moment a person does something that is against God, that person is sinning and is wicked. One may have victory in the moment, but in the end there is judgement and eternal death, without the forgiveness of Jesus.

Believers may look at the world and think that the wicked in the world are winning, when in reality they are only winning in the moment but will lose in the end. They should not get discouraged when the wicked win a temporary victory. Only in Christ Jesus and living in His righteousness and holiness does one have hope of a future.

It may look like evil is winning and get discouraged when you look around you and see all of the evil being promoted and celebrated. Do not forget that God is in full control and will win in the end.

Focus your life and attention upon God and what He is doing. You will see victory that lasts more than just a moment but goes into eternity. Wickedness appeared to win over Job, but it was only for a moment, in the end Job won.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God is in control; that you will know the victory Jesus provides; that God will give you strength to turn from all sin and wickedness; and that God will give you victory over evil around you.

But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites. 2 Kings 21:9

Every person leads someone. Some people lead many more people, while others lead only a few. Each person has some influence on someone else. This influence can help lead a person correctly or incorrectly, down a right or wrong path in life. Being an influencer can be done on purpose with focus or done without purposeful intention. Just being around others causes some influence on how they think and act in life.

Manasseh led the Israelites astray away from the commands of God to the point of doing more evil than even the nations God had destroyed before them.

Looking specifically at the churches in America, many believe that they are doing good. However, many in those same churches are leading others astray away from God more and more all the time.

Inside the church one can see that divorce, living together outside of marriage, sexual immorality, drunkenness, murder of babies, and many more sins are just as prevalent, if not more so, than outside the church walls. People are leading more and more into sin and evil ways against God, than for God. Their influence is changing to be against God, rather than for God.

And, sadly, this is done in the name of God as if God accepts all of this.

Believers are to stand out as different, separate from the world and its ways of sin and death. They are to be holy in all that they think, say and do, influencing others to turn from evil ways and live for God. No believer should be influence by the world and its ways, but be the one to influence the world.

No matter where you live or what you do, there are people that you are having an influence on. Just as the world tries to influence you for evil, you must seek to influence the world for God and His holy ways of living.

Every action you do and word you speak is being seen and heard by those in the world. Those words and actions need to be those of Jesus, that will lead people to God, not away from God.

Ask yourself if what you are saying or doing is leading people to or away from God.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will guide you in living holy and separate from the world; that you will lead others in the ways of God; and that you will turn from all sin to live a holy life for God.